Your top ten drivers from the 2005 Formula 1 season

[Knowlesy]

The season is over, the last of the 19 races has drawn to a close and we head into the winter of discontent.

It has been a largely entertaining season with many a standout performance.

We’ve had a new world champion crowned as well.

But, in true Autocourse style, who makes your personal top ten of the drivers this season, taking into account the machinery at their disposal and any other elements?

Here’s mine:

1 - Fernando Alonso. World champion, flawless performer. Possibly the most well judged, near perfect season I have ever seen from anyone. Faster than people give him credit for as well!

2 - Kimi Raikkonen. Not as perfect as Alonso, but certainly as quick. Will be disappointed that he didn’t take the crown after such effort and a clear car advantage most of the season. Plenty of years left to try again though!

3 - David Coulthard. I hold my hands up, I did not expect such a stunning performance from DC this season. But I am well impressed with him, he seems to have a new lease of life and it is actually a joy to have him around!

4 - Juan Pablo Montoya. Immensely disappointing first half of the season because of shoulder injury and the ensuing incidents. But got his game together in Canada and has been every bit a match for his teamamte since. Stunning drive at brazil the highlight, look out for him next year!

5 - Nick Heidfeld. After what seemed an eternity, Williams finally took the decision to sign Quick Nick for the ’05 season and what a shrewd choice. Outperformed his much vaunted teammate repeatedly, taking three podiums. Season ended on sour note with injuries, but still a class act.

6 - Michael Schumacher. - After five years of dominance, you’d think the determination and will to win would ebb away. Not a chance. Still more than capable of wringing more out of a car than it is capable of, but there have been some lacklustre displays as well this season. Can he bounce back next season?

7 - Jarno Trulli. - Considerably smaller pay than his teammate, yet got the job done rather more effectively for the vast majority of the season. Things petered out in typical Trulli fashion towards the end and he could often be seen holding back a vast train of cars during races, but overall has been very good and his qualifying in particular has been mesmerising.

8 - Jenson Button. - A character building display for the supposed “British hope” and one he’ll want to forget. Couldn’t really do any more in all honesty and grabbed a couple of podiums and a pole at least along his troubled way. Contract talk became tedious though.

9 - Ralf Schumacher. - Sluggish, no worse than sluggish, start made Ralf look typically overrated. His manager must do a good job selling him for that pay-packet. But really got his act together from mid-season and even overhauled his teammate in the points table which is interesting to say the least. 2006 format front end on TF105B suits him, could surprise next year if he actually turns up before mid-season.

10 - Giancarlo Fisichella. - The Renault drivers bookend the top ten, which is surprising given that they won the constructors title. But Fisi has been nowhere near Alonso all year and has been very patchy in his form. His win in Melbourne was lucky and owed more to qualifying rain than anything else, but it was well executed. Mechanical problems then intervened and combined with some poor driving. Low point came at Japanese GP where his defence of a comfortable, race winning lead was somewhat floppy. Must do better next year.